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Using Repetitions to Fatigue to Predict One-Repetition Maximum Bench Press in Male High School Athletes

J. L. Mayhew, Chad D. Kerksick, Doug Lentz, John S. Ware, and David L. Mayhew

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of repetitions to fatigue (RTF) for estimating one-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press performance in male high school athletes. Members of high school athletic teams (N = 213, age = 16.3 ± 1.1 yrs, weight = 79.9 ± 16.7 kg) from four states were tested for 1-RM bench press and RTF after completing 4–6 weeks of resistance training. A new equation for use with male high school athletes was developed from a random sample of 180 participants; it appears to have excellent predictive potential (r = 0.96, SEE = 4.5 kg) and cross-validated well on a subsample (n = 33) from this population (r = 0.98, t = 0.64). Therefore, RTF can be used with acceptable accuracy to estimate maximal strength in the majority of adolescent male athletes who need to handle excessively heavy weights.

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Activity Levels, Dietary Energy Intake, and Body Composition in Children Who Walk to School

Paul Ford, Richard Bailey, Damian Coleman, Kate Woolf-May, and Ian Swaine

Although differences in daily activity levels have been assessed in cross-sectional walk-to-school studies, no one has assessed differences in body composition and dietary energy intake at the same time. In this study of 239 primary school children, there were no significant differences in daily activity levels, body composition, or estimated dietary energy intake between those who walk to school (WALK) and those who travel by car (CAR; p < .05). WALK children were more active between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. than CAR children (p < .05). In addition, there were no significant differences in the main analysis when participants were subgrouped by gender and age.

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Effectiveness of a School-Based Fitness Program on Youths’ Physical and Psychosocial Health Outcomes

Maureen R. Weiss, Alison C. Phillips, and Lindsay E. Kipp

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of an existing physical fitness program (CHAMPIONS) implemented during physical education on health-related indices (BMI percentile, waist circumference, cardiorespiratory endurance), self-perceptions, academic performance, and behavioral conduct over a school year. Students in 3 intervention (n = 331) and 3 control (n = 745) middle schools participated in the study that included assessments at pre, mid, and postintervention. Multivariate repeated measures analyses indicated that boys and girls in CHAMPIONS compared favorably (p < .0125) to Controls at postintervention on cardiorespiratory endurance, and boys significantly improved on BMI percentile from pre- to mid- and postintervention (p < .0125). Students in CHAMPIONS maintained healthy BMI percentile and waist circumference values over the year. Findings provide preliminary evidence that CHAMPIONS is effective in improving or maintaining physical health indices among middle school youth.

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The Physical Activity of Singapore Primary School Children as Estimated by Heart Rate Monitoring

Helen Gilbey and Malcolm Gilbey

Physical activity patterns of Singapore school children aged 9–10 years were assessed by continuous heart rate monitoring. Fifty boys and 64 girls were monitored for three 14-hour periods during normal school days. In addition, 43 boys and 53 girls were monitored for 14 hours on a Saturday. Only 13 children (11.4%) experienced a daily 10-min period of continuous activity at a heart rate ≥140 bpm. Twenty percent of the boys and more than 50% of the girls never achieved a single 10-minute period ≥140 bpm. Boys achieved more periods of moderately intense activity (p < .01) than girls on weekdays. Lean girls were more active (p < .05) than the obese girls during weekdays. No differences were detected between activity levels on weekdays or on Saturday. The results indicate that Singapore school children in general rarely experience the quantity or quality of physical activity needed for maintenance and development of cardiovascular health and cardiopulmonary fitness.

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Best Practice Recommendations for Prevention of Sudden Death in Secondary School Athletes: An Update

Riana R. Pryor, Robert A. Huggins, and Douglas J. Casa

The aim of the recent Inter-Association Task Force held in Washington, D.C. at the 2013 Youth Safety Summit determined best practice recommendations for preventing sudden death in secondary school athletics. This document highlights the major health and safety practices and policies in high school athletics that are paramount to keep student athletes safe. The purpose of this commentary is to review the findings of the document developed by the task force and to provide possible areas where research is needed to continue to educate medical practitioners, players, coaches, and parents on ways to prevent tragedies from occurring during sport.

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Associations Between Selected Demographic, Biological, School Environmental and Physical Education Based Correlates, and Adolescent Physical Activity

Toni A. Hilland, Nicola D. Ridgers, Gareth Stratton, and Stuart J. Fairclough

The study investigated associations between selected physical activity correlates among 299 adolescents (90 boys, age 12–14 years) from 3 English schools. Physical activity was assessed by self-report and accelerometry. Correlates represented biological, predisposing, and demographic factors as described in the Youth Physical Activity Promotion Model. Boys engaged in more self-reported (p < .01) and accelerometer assessed physical activity than girls (p = .02). Positive associations between sex (male), BMI, Perceived PE Ability, Perceived PE Worth, number of enrolled students, and physical activity outcomes were evident (p < .05). School-based physical activity promotion should emphasize sex-specific enhancement of students’ perceived PE competence and enjoyment.

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Increasing Children’s School Time Physical Activity Using Structured Fitness Breaks

Philip W. Scruggs, Sandy K. Beveridge, and Doris L. Watson

Fifth-grade students’ physical activity levels were examined via heart rate telemetry and pedometry during school fitness and recess breaks. Twenty-seven students with a mean age of 11.03 (-.32) years participated in morning recess (MR), lunch recess (LR), and fitness breaks (FB) for three days. Structured FB’s consisted of students engaging in locomotor and nonlocomotor activities within an obstacle course framework, while recess breaks followed a traditional model. Results from repeated measures ANOVAs indicated students engaged in significantly more physical activity during FB than MR and LR. Fitness breaks provided a viable method for increasing children’s school time activity levels.

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Physical Activity Levels in Middle and High School Physical Education: A Review

Stuart Fairclough and Gareth Stratton

Forty studies reporting physical activity during middle and high school physical education (PE) classes were reviewed. Students engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) for 27% to 47% of class time. Intervention strategies were successful in increasing MVPA. During nonintervention classes the highest levels of MVPA occurred in invasion games and fitness activities. Movement activities stimulated the lowest levels. Boys and girls spent 40% of class time in MVPA. Differences in MVPA during PE were also methodology dependent. PE classes can complement other school-based opportunities to contribute to young people’s daily physical activity.

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Is a Change to Active Travel to School an Important Source of Physical Activity for Chinese Children?

Wendy Y. Huang, Stephen H. Wong, and Gang He

This study investigated the association between a change in travel mode to school and one-year changes in physical activity (PA) among children in Hong Kong. Data from 677 children aged 7–10 years (56% boys) who participated in the Understanding Children’s Activity and Nutrition (UCAN) study were analyzed. During the 2010/11 and 2011/12 school years, the children wore an accelerometer for a week and their parents completed a questionnaire about the children’s modes of travel to school and nonschool destinations. Associations between a change in the mode of travel to school and changes in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) were determined using linear mixed models, adjusting for covariates. Compared with children who consistently used passive travel modes, a change from passive to active travel to school was positively associated with changes in the percentage of time spent in MVPA (b = 1.32, 95% CI = 0.63, 2.02) and MVPA min/day (b = 10.97, 95% CI = 5.26, 16.68) on weekdays. Similar results were found for weekly MVPA. Promoting active travel to school may help to combat age-related decline in PA for some Chinese children. However, maintaining active travel to school may not be sufficient to halt the decreasing trend in MVPA with age.

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Validity of Fat-Free Weight Equations for Estimating Mean and Peak Power in High School Wrestlers

Jorge Zuniga, Terry J. Housh, Michelle Mielke, Clayton L. Camic, C. Russell Hendrix, Glen O. Johnson, Dona J. Housh, and Richard J. Schmidt

The purpose of this study was to cross-validate the fat-free weight (FFW) equations derived on nonathletic children and adolescents for estimating mean power (MP) and peak power (PP) in high school wrestlers. One hundred and three male high school wrestlers performed the Wingate Anaerobic Test to estimate MP and PP, as well as underwater weighing to determine FFW. The follow equations were used to estimate the MP and PP of the wrestlers in the current study.

MP (W) = 9.3 (FFW) − 109.8 EQ.1

PP (W) = 14.1 (FFW) − 162.1 EQ.2

The results in the current study indicated that as percent of the mean values, the equation that predicted MP resulted in a substantially greater total error (TE; 19.9% of the mean) than the equation that predicted PP (8.3% of the mean). These findings indicated that the equation that was derived on nonathletes did not accurately estimate MP in the high school wrestlers. The equation for estimating PP, however, was valid when applied to the current sample of high school wrestlers. These findings supported previous studies that have shown that in adolescent males, exercise training improves the metabolic capabilities of the anaerobic glycolytic system, but not the phosphagen system.